Values come first
Candid and unpretentious Virendra Agarwal, CEO, Moosa Abdul Rahman stands apart in a crowd. By Mayank Singh

Virendra Agarwal, CEO, Moosa Abdul Rahman Hassan and Company (MARH) learnt Aristotle’s maxim, “Take an all absorbing interest in the secret of success of those who have succeeded,” early in life and has been its avid practitioner. If learning from others has been an integral part of his growth, financial acumen is a close second. “I get excited making money for my company and for myself,” he says matter-of-factly.

In 1999-2000 when the owners decided to professionalise MARH’s senior management, Agarwal was chosen to lead the company as its CEO. And he has lived up to the board’s expectations over the years. Agarwal has brought in new distributorships like Suzuki and has ventured into new lines of business like the supply of military vehicles. The company has expanded its sales and service network to Sohar, Salalah, Nizwa etc.

He earned his stripes early in life, by becoming the general manager of the office equipment division of Mustafa Sultan Enterprises (known as Mustafa and Jawad) in 1989 at a young age of 30. Agarwal’s experience with the Tata group in India early in his career has stood him in good stead. “Working with the Tata’s teaches one to manage relationships and to be commercially astute,” he says.

Principles of success
A management alumnus of the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, Agarwal joined the Tata group after he graduated in Economics from Bombay University. At Tata Exports he handled a range of products from leather to Tata trucks. He later on moved to Lakme India, a cosmetics company and worked closely with Simone Tata, the chairman and managing director in growing its business in Eastern Europe. Apart from this, Agarwal also did short stints with Johnson and Johnson and Corus in India.

He feels that a CEO should understand his business, get the right people, equip them with the right vision and leave them alone. Though if the need arises Agarwal can be a hands on manager. “If I am not confident of someone’s abilities then I am there all the time. Over 50 per cent of my time is spent in businesses which are growing.” Agarwal is one of the few CEO’s who sets a budgetary target for himself and is out in the market selling products. A person who can think on his feet, he prides himself on his decision making abilities, “We never procrastinate matters by sitting on a decision.”

Looking back he fondly remembers his school days at Mayo College in Ajmer. Founded by Richard Southwell Bourke, The Earl of Mayo and the Viceroy of India from 1868 to 1872, the school was established with the intent of making British gentlemen out of Indian princes. “Mayo was a great leveller, as everyone from a prince to someone from a middle class background was treated as an equal and put through the grind.”

Time out
He splits his leisure time between his family and playing golf. His better half Tarini works as a training manager at MARH; Vickram his son is an executive with General Motors, Dubai and daughter Tarika, a high school student is looking at pursuing her higher studies abroad. The family pet Vodka, a three year old Labrador also demands his fair share of attention. Says Agarwal, “He was a birthday gift for my daughter and I take him out for walks three to four times a day.” The family spends time together by going to the beach, playing golf, swimming or dinning out. “The family always comes first,” says Agarwal.

An annual vacation is another excuse to catch up with each other. A Mediterranean cruise across the cities of Barcelona, Nice, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome and Sicily in 2003 proved to be such a memorable experience that he did it all over again (with his extended family) in 2008 to celebrate his parents 50th marriage anniversary.

“Apart from seeing some great places, it is the sheer luxury and lifestyle choices that spoil you,” avers Agarwal. South East Asian destinations like Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok have been another favourite hunting ground for the family. “South East Asian people are simple, hard working, humble and tourist friendly,” he says.

Pursuing ones dreams
Golf remains the other big love of his life. Having started out on the course as a caddie to his father, he has been an avid follower of the sport for over 30 years now. “Golf is an addiction, a game where you compete against yourself and not against others.” He rues the lack of green top courses in Muscat and cites it as a reason for his dwindling interest in the game over the last three-to-four years. He tries to make up for his lack of exercise on weekdays by walking a couple of hours on weekends.

An avid reader, he is partial towards fiction writers like John Grisham and Wilbur Smith. Growing up in a family where his father Mahendra and mother Bala Agarwal are avid readers, he picked up the habit early. “I read the 1,400 page The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas when I was in class eight,” he says. The passage of time has strengthened his belief on books being a man’s best friend. When it comes to movies he prefers comedies and light-hearted stories. “Business is so stressful that at the end of the day you want to unwind something that is slightly less taxing,” says Agarwal.

Looking back at the people who have left an imprint on him he recalls one of his first bosses, Rajan Jhanjhir, “If someone requested for a business meeting, he would go to the other person’s office instead of calling them over.” Agarwal has imbibed the habit and has no qualms of visiting a customer at his office. He thanks his father, a former naval officer for inculcating the right values and discipline in him and his siblings. A worthy son Agarwal has surely reached such heights that others can take an absorbing interest in the secrets of his success.

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